How to Set Up a GoFundMe for Funeral Costs: A Step-by-Step Guide

The Discomfort Is Real. So Is the Need.

In 2024, GoFundMe campaigns for funerals and memorials raised more than $580 million nationally — and that number grows every year. Funeral crowdfunding has become one of the most common uses of the platform. For families facing an unexpected death, or one that outpaces their savings, it has become a quiet, practical lifeline.

And yet: most families feel deeply uncomfortable asking for it. There is something that feels wrong about attaching a fundraiser to a death — as if needing financial help signals a failure of love, or a failure of planning, or simply something that shouldn't be visible to the community. Those feelings are real and worth naming. They are also worth examining.

Most people who donate to a funeral campaign describe it as an act of love and community — not charity in the diminishing sense, but an expression of care for a family they know. For many donors, a GoFundMe is a way to do something concrete when grief leaves them feeling helpless. "Let me know if you need anything" is genuinely meant, but impossible to act on. A GoFundMe gives people a specific way to show up. This guide handles both dimensions: the practical steps to set up a campaign that actually raises money, and the emotional navigation of asking for help when everything already feels like too much.

Is a GoFundMe for Funeral Costs a Good Idea?

That's the question most readers are sitting with before they've even searched the page. The honest answer: it depends on your situation, and it's worth looking at the realistic numbers before you decide.

GoFundMe funeral campaigns raise an average of $2,200, with individual donations averaging around $65. Campaigns that perform well — those with a compelling story, an active share strategy, and early momentum — can raise $3,000 to $8,000. For families planning a direct cremation (which can run $1,500 to $3,000 in many parts of the country), a successful campaign can cover the full cost. For a traditional funeral with burial, which averages $8,000 to $12,000 when all costs are included, a campaign may cover a meaningful portion but likely not everything.

About one-third of campaigns do not reach their stated goal. But campaigns that fall short of their goal still raise real money — sometimes thousands of dollars that meaningfully reduce a family's financial burden. A GoFundMe won't replace a life insurance policy or a pre-planned funeral, but for families who have neither, it can make a significant difference. As you think through all of the options, our guide to managing funeral costs covers the full range of strategies — including payment plans, funeral assistance programs, and ways to reduce costs without reducing the service's meaning. And if this experience prompts you to think about pre-planning a funeral for yourself or a family member, that guide is worth reading when the immediate crisis has passed.

Understanding GoFundMe's Fees

Before you set a goal, understand what the platform actually costs — because this affects how much you need to raise to cover your actual expenses.

As of January 2026, GoFundMe charges no platform fee to the campaign organizer. The company removed its platform fee in 2017. However, there is a payment processing fee of 2.9% plus $0.30 per donation. A $50 donation results in approximately $48.25 received after fees; a $100 donation nets about $96.80. For a campaign that raises $5,000 through individual transactions, the organizer can expect to receive approximately $4,855 after processing costs. This isn't a hidden fee — it's standard across payment processors — but it's worth building into your goal calculation when you set your target amount.

Platform Comparison — GoFundMe vs. Alternatives

GoFundMe is the most widely recognized platform, but it's not the only option. For families who want more privacy, a funeral-specific experience, or a tighter integration with memorial pages, alternatives are worth knowing about.

Ever Loved is worth particular attention for families who want a single place for both the tribute and the fundraising — the platform integrates fundraising with an online memorial page, which can simplify an already complex time. Facebook Fundraisers have zero fees for nonprofit-linked fundraisers, but offer limited visibility control and require a Facebook account from all participants.

Setting Up Your GoFundMe — Step by Step

Step 1 — Set a Realistic Goal

The goal amount should reflect your actual, documented costs. Before setting a number, request an itemized General Price List from the funeral home — you are legally entitled to it, and having it in hand gives your campaign concrete credibility. Specific numbers build donor trust in a way that round estimates don't.

A direct cremation in the $2,000 to $3,000 range is a realistic goal that campaigns frequently meet or exceed. For a traditional funeral with burial, $8,000 to $10,000 is a more honest target, though it's a harder ask for a community campaign. Some families set a modest initial goal and update it as costs become clearer — GoFundMe allows you to exceed your stated goal, and it's psychologically easier to build on early momentum than to close a large gap. Campaigns that reach 30% of their goal early attract significantly more subsequent donations than those that show no progress. Set a goal you believe is achievable, not one that reflects the ideal case.

Step 2 — Write a Campaign Story That Invites People In

The written story is the single most important element of a successful funeral campaign. The difference between a campaign that raises $500 and one that raises $5,000 is almost always the story. Not the goal amount, not the platform — the story.

The best funeral fundraising stories do four things: they tell donors who the person was (not just that they died), they establish the relationship between the writer and the deceased, they state the need honestly and specifically, and they make a clear, direct ask. Every one of these elements matters. Campaigns that skip the person's identity — that jump straight to the medical details or the cost breakdown — don't perform as well, because donors give to people, not expenses.

Start with the person: their name, something specific about who they were, what made them who they were. "Our dad, Frank, spent 30 years teaching middle school science and knew every student's name." That sentence does more work than a paragraph of financial explanation. Then establish the relationship — who is writing this, and why it matters. Then name the need: honest, specific, without over-apologizing. "We are hoping to raise $6,500 to cover the cost of the funeral service and burial." Then the ask: "If you loved [name], or if you've ever been loved by someone like them, we'd be grateful for your support."

Avoid: lengthy medical backstories, excessive detail about cause of death, repeated apologies for asking, or language that frames your family as helpless. The best campaigns feel like invitations, not pleas. End with a line about what contributions allow: "Your support lets us focus on honoring [name] rather than on logistics." That framing is generous and true, and it gives donors a role that feels meaningful.

Step 3 — Choose the Right Photo

After the story, the photo is the biggest driver of donations. Use a warm, clear image that shows who the person was — a candid moment, a favorite setting, something that captures their personality. Not a hospital photo, not a formal portrait if it doesn't reflect them. Candid photos consistently outperform formal ones because they help donors connect with the person as a human being rather than a subject.

If the family doesn't have a good digital photo ready, reach out to friends or family members before setting up the campaign — someone almost always has something perfect. It's worth taking an extra hour to find the right image. It will matter to everyone who clicks the link.

Step 4 — Set Up Withdrawal Information Correctly

GoFundMe allows withdrawals via ACH direct deposit or check, typically within two to five business days of a withdrawal request. Set up your bank account information at the time you create the campaign — doing it later adds an unnecessary delay in an already time-pressured situation. Importantly, you don't have to wait until the campaign ends or reaches its goal to withdraw funds. You can withdraw as soon as the first meaningful donations arrive, which is particularly valuable when the funeral home needs payment quickly. Begin sharing and begin withdrawing as soon as you have enough to make a meaningful payment.

How to Share Your Campaign — Without the Awkward

Many families set up a campaign and then hesitate to actually share it. They worry about appearing desperate, about what people will think, about seeming pushy. The result is a campaign that raises very little because nobody knows about it. The most important thing you can do for your campaign is share it — actively, repeatedly, personally.

The first 24 to 48 hours are the most important window. GoFundMe's algorithm surfaces campaigns that show early momentum; so does human social sharing. The campaigns that get 15 or 20 donors quickly become the campaigns that reach their goals, because social proof drives giving. Get those first donations from people who know you well — family, close friends, colleagues — before asking for wider sharing.

Best practices for sharing:

• Post on Facebook with a personal note, not just the link. "I know this is an unusual thing to share, but..." goes further than a bare URL.
• Text family members and close friends directly, individually — not just a group chat. Personal outreach converts at a higher rate than group messages.
• Ask one or two trusted friends to share on your behalf if you can't bring yourself to post directly. Delegation is completely appropriate.
• Update the campaign at 25%, 50%, and 75% of goal. Progress updates drive additional donations and give you a reason to share again without it feeling like another ask.

Address the discomfort directly in your post if you need to: "I know this feels like an unusual ask. [Name] would never have wanted to be a burden. But this is how our community can show up for our family right now." That kind of transparency is disarming, and it invites people in rather than making them feel solicited.

What to Do With the Money

Transparency during and after the campaign builds donor trust and strengthens your community's sense that their giving mattered. In your campaign description and in progress updates, be specific about how funds are being used: the funeral home fees, burial or cremation costs, family travel, the memorial service venue. People want to know their money went somewhere real.

If your campaign raises more than the funeral costs — which happens — communicate clearly and promptly about what surplus funds will be used for. Some families direct the surplus toward a memorial donation in the person's name, to a cause they cared about. Others use it to cover ongoing grief support, estate costs, or to cover a family member's travel. There's no wrong answer, but donors deserve to know. GoFundMe's donor community responds well to honesty and specificity, and follow-through on this kind of transparency often generates additional goodwill — and sometimes additional contributions — for future needs. For practical help with the service itself, our guide to planning the memorial service covers everything from structure to speakers to budget.

Tax Implications — What Families Need to Know

In the United States, money received through a personal GoFundMe campaign is generally not considered taxable income for the recipient, because it is treated as a gift from individuals rather than compensation or business income. GoFundMe does not issue 1099 forms for personal campaigns. For most families running a funeral fundraiser, there are no tax complications.

That said, this is an area with some nuance. If the campaign raises a significant sum — significantly above the funeral costs — or if the organizer is in a business or nonprofit context, consulting a tax professional is advisable. Keep records of the campaign, contributions, and how funds were spent. This article is informational only and is not tax advice; for any specific tax question, a CPA or tax professional is the right resource.

What If You Feel Uncomfortable Asking?

Many people find this step the hardest. The discomfort is real and it has a shape: fear of judgment, worry about what people will think, a sense that needing help means having failed somehow. There's also the particular pain of the timing — you're already in one of the worst moments of your life, and now you're being asked to do something that requires courage and vulnerability on top of grief.

Here's the reframe that many families have found genuinely helpful: when the people in your community see the GoFundMe link, they are not thinking less of you. They are relieved. They've been sitting with "let me know if you need anything" and feeling helpless, because there's nothing concrete they can do about the grief. The GoFundMe gives them something concrete. It converts helplessness into action. For a lot of donors, clicking "give" is the moment they've been waiting for since they heard the news.

Asking for help is not a measure of love. It is not a measure of the person's worth or yours. It is one of the hardest things in a hard time, and it is okay. You're not asking people to do something for you — you're inviting them to show up for someone they loved, in the only way that's available to them right now. That is a gift in both directions.

Honoring Someone With a Tribute Campaign

A GoFundMe for funeral costs isn't only about covering expenses. It can also become a tribute in its own right. Donors leave comments alongside their contributions — memories, expressions of love, stories about the person who died. The comment section of a well-shared funeral campaign often becomes a remarkable record of who the person was and how many lives they touched. The comments are worth reading and saving.

Many families link their GoFundMe campaign to an online memorial page, creating a connected space where donors who want to do more can leave longer messages, share photos, and contribute to a lasting digital tribute. If you're thinking about creating a more permanent space to gather memories and tributes, our guides to creating an online memorial page and creating a tribute book offer practical, compassionate help for both. The campaign may close when the bills are paid, but the tribute can live on for as long as you want it to.

Sources

GoFundMe / Bronx Times. "Bronx Families Crowdfunding Funeral Expenses." 2024. bxtimes.com/bronx-families-crowdfunding-funeral-expenses/ (noting $580M+ raised nationally for funerals and memorials in 2024)
Funeral.com. "Crowdfunding for Funeral Expenses: Best Platforms, Fees, and Safety Checks." funeral.com/blogs/the-journal/crowdfunding-for-funeral-expenses-best-platforms-fees-and-safety-checks
In-Valhalla. "How Funeral Crowdfunding Works." in-valhalla.com/how-funeral-crowdfunding-works/ (average campaign ~$2,200; average donation $65; 22,000+ campaigns)
A Better Gift. "GoFundMe Alternative for Funerals." abettergift.com/gofundme-alternative-funeral (average raise $3,000–$8,000; 2–5 business day withdrawal timeline)
Keefe Funeral Home. "Don't Make These Four Crowdfunded Funeral Mistakes." keefefuneralhome.com/dont-make-these-four-crowdfunded-funeral-mistakes (fastest-growing GoFundMe category; ~$330M+ annually; ~1/3 don't reach goal)
Funerals360. "A Comparison of Crowdfunding Platforms for Funerals and Memorials." funerals360.com/blog/funeral-costs/a-comparison-of-crowdfunding-platforms-for-funerals-and-memorials/
ElectroIQ. "GoFundMe Statistics." electroiq.com/stats/gofundme-statistics/ (funeral and memorial categories; $13B total raised in U.S.)